YORK’S unsung heroes were honoured on Thursday night at the York Community Pride Awards.

The finalists of this year’s York Community Pride Awards, organised by The Press and City of York Council and sponsored by Benenden Health, gathered at York Racecourse along with their families as the winners of the 12 categories were announced.

The Press deputy editor Stuart Martel welcomed guests and congratulated all the inspirational people invited to the event.

“Every year the York Community Pride Awards bring out new stories of incredible bravery, immense courage and triumph over adversity,” he said.

“The Press is delighted to be able to honour and celebrate the unsung heroes of our great city.

“Once again we were inundated with nominations for inspirational people in our community who are looking out for others without seeking any reward or recognition. The standard of entries was amazing and our judges faced an extremely difficult task to select the finalists and the eventual winners.”

Wes Jobling won the Spirit of Youth award, sponsored by CPP, for showing “the best side of human nature” as a volunteer at a project to feed the homeless.

The Child of the Year accolade, backed by Saville Group, was jointly awarded to six-year-old Bobbie Coverdale, Leo Sampson and Daisybella Bond.

The late Keith Chapman, a former chairman of the Nunnery Area Residents’ Association, was judged the winner of the Good Neighbour of the Year category, sponsored by First, while York Against Cancer co-founder Prof Steve Leveson was awarded the Person of the Year crown, sponsored by Benenden Health.

Anne Platt, who recently retired as marketing and events manager at the Mansion House, won the Public Sector Hero award, sponsored by City of York Council, while carer Lisa Dillon was named Health Service Hero. That award is backed by Hungate York.

Margaret Clark’s work raising money to help people with pancreatic cancer earned her the Charity Fundraiser of the Year accolade, which is sponsored by Pryers Solicitors.

The Volunteer of the Year award, sponsored by Aviva, went to Keelie Mollan, who has cerebral palsy but volunteers at York Hospital.

Dee Statham, of St George’s Primary School, was Teacher of the Year, while the School of the Year crown went to Burton Green Primary School. Both of those awards are sponsored by Work With Schools.

Ovington Cricket Club stalwart Alan Fletcher won the Sporting Hero gong, sponsored by York Racecourse, and SASH, which supports homeless youngsters, won the Best Community Project award, sponsored by JRF.

l Don’t miss The Press on Tuesday, October 23, for our eight-page souvenir supplement profiling the finalists and featuring a host of pictures from last night’s event. A gallery of all the pictures taken at the York Community Pride Awards ceremony will also be uploaded to our website, thepress.co.uk.